NSU offense erupts in first spring scrimmage

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State’s new offense put up 694 yards and scored nine times in 71 plays Thursday night as the Demons wrapped up the first half of spring football practice with their first live scrimmage under new coach Brad Laird.

Four quarterbacks combined to go 28 of 37 for 441 yards, with just one interception and four touchdown strikes.

Nine ballcarriers piled up 253 yards rushing on 34 carries, including three touchdowns, in the 1:16-long scrimmage on a beautiful spring evening at Turpin Stadium. It was the seventh of 15 spring practices for the Demons.

“We had a lot of good competition across the board,” said Laird. “It was a good night to get us to the halfway point.

“The quarterbacks did a great job of making good decisions, taking the deep ball when it was there, taking the check-down when it was there, making good reads within the RPOs as far as when to give the ball and when to pull it and pitch it,” he said.

Junior transfer Shelton Eppler had the hottest hand among the passers, going 8 of 9 for 201 yards including a 98-yard bomb to Jazz Ferguson and a 15-yard TD to Bryson Bourque in a two-minute drill.

Senior Clay Holgorsen, the returning starter, threw for 100 yards on 7 of 9 aim with one interception, a tipped ball snagged by Deshon Ficklin. The only other turnover was a fumble recovery by Zak Krolcyzk inside the 5-yard line.

Sophomore Kaleb Fletcher hit 8 of 12 throws for 99 yards, including a pair of 16-yard scores, a fade route to Kendrick Price and a strike to Gavin Landry in the two-minute competition that capped the action.

Junior Jared West led the ground game with 100 yards on seven tries, highlighted by a 61-yard burst up the middle on the scrimmage’s fourth play for the first score. Eppler ran for a 9-yard TD and redshirt freshman Da’Von Smith had a 1-yarder.

Sophomore Austyn Fendrick knocked in field goals of 25 and 31 yards.

Senior Marquisian Chapman led the receivers with six catches for 86 yards. Landry, a sophomore, caught five for 60 yards and redshirt freshman McKane Kinchen snagged four for 74 yards. Ferguson had two for a game-high 104 yards.

“I thought it was a clean football game, three penalties with 71 snaps in the first time we’ve had officials working with us,” said Laird. “Our young men did a great job in that area.

“The defense came up with two takeaways, both in the red zone, and that was great to see,” he said. “We came out injury-free and with a lot of positive energy heading into spring break. We’ll get back here and get going on our last eight practices on April 11 with a lot accomplished, but a bunch left to improve upon and to learn.”

The Demons have two more spring scrimmages, on April 14 and the 29th Annual Joe Delaney Bowl spring game April 21.